NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Wednesday, December 15, 1852.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 769, 15 December 1852, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Wednesday, December 15, 1852.

It would be difficult to find a case of gross fraud more clearly established against a public body than is brought home against the New Zealand Company by the Times in the able article reprinted in our present number. And yet in the face of these facts, fso clearly set forth in that journal, the Directors of the Company by means of their Parliamentary influence have contrived to secure to themselves even better terms than had previously been awarded them ; one-fourth the proceeds of the land fund is to be henceforth devoted to satisfying their rapacity, besides an unknown amountof liabilities to be incurredinmaldng good the claims for compensation of their unfortunate purchasers. Whatever advantage is to be got is appropriated to the Company, what, ever is to suffered is thrown on the colony which, without the knowledge of the settlers and against their consent or concurrence, is burdened with these heavy payments. It would appear as if these arrangements in favor of the Company, by which they have been completely absolved from the heavy responsibilities under which they laboured at the expense of the colony, had been purposely made to provide a standing topic for discussion, a never ending ftieme for invective in the future Legislative Assemblies of the colony. Even though the arrangement is ratified by an Act of Parliament we cannot suppose it will be deliberately acquiesced in by the settlers; if they are true to their own interests, they will continue to remonstrate and resist, so far as they have the power, the conditions that have been prescribed, till something at least of their rigour and injustice is abated. Whatever differences remained to be adjusted lay entirely between the Colonial Office and the Company, but it is too bad, after the Company, to use the forcible expression of the Times, had been gorged with the public money, that the land fund of the Colony which ought to be devoted to promoting its internal improvement should be confiscated to their exclusive benefit.

In another part of our present number will be found the latest official information received by the Governor-in- Chief relating to the discovery of Gold at Auckland. The account of the different parties at work, with the results obtained by each party, seems to negative the idea of its proving an available or lucrative Gold Field : half an ounce of gold among four men as the return for 10 hours hard work will not tempt many to leave their ordinary occupations to search for gold. It does not appear either that the Committee are sufficiently satisfied of the discovery of an available gold field to award the promised reward to the discoverer.

Town Clock. — Within the last few days the Clock at Te Aro Church has been thoroughlycleaned from the dust, which during the last three years had been deposited by the winds, and has been put in good working order by Mr. Mackay, who has taken charge of it and attended weekly to winding it up during the above period without payment. We may take the present opportunity of stating that a considerable balance of the cost of purchasing the Clock and of fixing it in its present place still remains due. The original outlay was £75, the total amount of subscriptions amounted to £35, leaving a balance of £40 due to the Rev. R. Cole, by whom the expenses were defrayed. In order to 'pay off this balance it has been proposed to open another subscription list, and Messrs. G. Moore, C. Mills, and W. Spinks have consented to receive subscriptions for this purpose.

We are glad to find that the excellent Band of the 65th Regiment have commenced their ■weekly performance of music for the season at Thorndon ; the following is the programme for next Friday : — l.'Overture — La Gazaa Ladra Eotiini 2. Selection— Maritana Wallace 3. Swiss Quadrille Jullien 4. Forse un destino — Parisina Donnizetti 5. La Prima Donna Valse Jullien 6. Gallop ■ Senamr 7. The Exhibition Polka TussauS

The following is a summary of the contents of last Friday's Government Gazette :— A pro- . clamation "by "the Governor notifying the disallowance of the Land Fund- Appropriation Ordinance, (Sess. XI, No. 2.) Notice of a meeting of the General Legislative Council of the Islands of New Zealand for the despatch of business, at Wellington, on-Wednes-day, the 22nd inst. The measures to be submitted to the - Council are an Ordinance ibr the appropriation of the Revenue for the first six months of 1833, and an Ordinance 'to make provision for the registration of Deeds affecting real property in the Canterbury Set* tlemeht. „ • .&. The following letter, with enclosures from the Lieutenant - Governor of the. Northern

Province, is reprinted as containing the latest official information connected with the Gold Discovery at Coromandel Harbour, to which is added the names of the parties at work •who have been successful in obtaining Gold, with the number of each party, the time employed in working, and the^quantity of Gold found. Kapanga River, November 6th, 1852. Sir, — I have the honour to report, for the information of his Excellency the LieutenantGovernor, that, in accordance with the instructions conveyed to me, I came to this place on the evening of the 4th instant. I found Mr. Heaphy actively employed in superintending the Gold diggings, and, with the assistance of Mr. Lanfear, inducing the natives of this district to meet for the purpose of co-operating with the Government to establish some regulations for the good government of the Gold Diggings on this river. I found him also engaged in assisting the few persons who have arrived, in the exploration of the valley, and otherwise forwarding their views. I enclose a very detailed and complete report from him as to the number of people employed at the diggings, the time they have devoted each day to the work, and the quantity of gold that each party has produced, together with a description of the district and the best modes for working the mines. From what I have been able to learn during the short time I have been here, I consider this report to be very correct and satisfactory. It might have been desirable that the quantity of Gold found should have been ascertained with greater accuracy than the estimate given of it by one of the California miners ; but I should, from what I saw so estimated, say that the quantity stated is very near the truth. As so very few persons have been engaged in the work, a very small portion of the valley has been searched, and none of those employed have as yet dug down to the surface of the rock where the large pieces of gold lie deposited. All the Gold which has hitherto been found has been taken from among the loose gravel and consists of the lighter particles. I have no doubt But that when more people arrive and the search isconduted steadily and systematically, Gold will be found in very remunerating quantities. ' * I also enclose a letter addressed to Mr. Heaphy from the Messrs. De Thierry, who report having found Gold at Waioa, at a distance of thirteen miles south of the Kapanga j River. I have, &c, (Signed) C. W. Ligar, Surveyor- General. The Honourable The Colonial Secretary, &c, &c, &c.

Kapanga River Diggings, Coromandel Harbour, 4th November, 1552. Sir, — I have the honour to furnish for the information of his Excellency the LieutenantGovernor, the annexed tabular report of the work at this Gold-field since my arrival. I have much pleasure in stating that whereever I and the Messrs. Ring have "prospected" on th& Kapanga and its Eastern tributaries, we have found gold, and that the greatest number of flakes in the prospecting dish, appeared upon washing some earth yesterday, at a bar about half a mile lower down the stream than where the path from Kiko Wakarere strikes it ; and below all the present diggings. From the table it will be seen that Mr. Coolahan and party who have worked with much energy, have apparently averaged fair daily wages by their digging. They labour under the disadvantages of the absence of proper troughs, pumps, and the means of raising the heavier rocks. A rabre complete equipment would enable them to economize the labour of one man. The party of Messrs. Ring, and myself are rather "prospecting" and examining the ravine, than digging continuously, and thence the fluctuation in the daily yield of our workings. The gold appears to come chiefly down the main stream, the tributaries, as far as they have been examined, appear less rich, although the gold is disseminated over the whole district immediately east of the Kapanga. The clay hanks of the main stream, to a height of two or three feet above the water, contain gold, but in such small flakes as not to be preserved in the ordinary method of washing. The nuggets and heavier grains are invariably found below the level of the water ; and the nearer to the bed rock the excavation is carried the more plentiful is the yield of gold, j The gold is in dust and nuggets. The larger nuggets are chiefly of gold richly rammified through yellow quartz. The formation of the whole district is granitic,. The bed of the Kapanga consists of rocks of quariz, trap, and a blueish granite ; the latter containing much iron pyrites. The implement most effectual in economising labour is .the " Long Tom," or trough strainer, cradles are but of little comparative service.As the most advantageous manner of working'the field, I would submit the following plan, i viz. : — "• That when" the water is low, in the forthcoming summer, the stream be diverted, and carried in a lead by the side, and above its present bed. That where the ravine is too steep to admit of a side cutting, the water' be carried in wooden troughs. That by such means the bed of the stream 'shall- be laid dry for excavation. That the troughs and lead . be made by the diggers,: each party supplying an additional length, proportionate to his working ground, the -present channel being tortuous, the troughs need not Tie equal to it in their collective length. f That beams be laid or trees fallen across the ravine in order that the^heavier rocks might be raised by a purchase, and so the bed rock be laid bare. Such a systematized manner of working

could, I am confident, be carried on by the diggers themselves. The plan is not more difficult of accomplishment than those adopted by the California mineis, who from the scarcity of timber frequently .use even canvass for the material of the troughs. The great fall of the stream and the abundance of Kauri timber on its banks would much facilitate the accomplishment of the plan. The Californian diggers on the stream agree in the belief that the bed rock could be worked in such a manner to great advantage. The machines for extracting the smaller gold from the silt by means of quicksilver would> I am informed, save fully one quarter of the gold dug ; and also cause the upper clay to be worked profitably. I have, &c, (Signed) Charles Heaphy. Draughtsman, Survey Dept, Stationed at the Diggings. The Surveyor- General, &c, &c, &c. Journal of the working of the Kapanga Gold Field from 29th October, 1852. Friday, October 29. — Ring's party, 3 men, 1 day, \ an oz. Saturday, October 30.— Ring's party. 8 men, 6 hours, \an oz. Coolahan's party, 4 men, 7 hours, •§■ an oz. Monday, November 1. — Ring's party, 7 men, J 7 hours, 1 oz. Coolahan's party, 4 men, about 10 hours, \ an oz. Tuesday, November 2. — Ring's party, 3 men, 5 hours, 1-1 Oth of an oz. Coolahan's party, 4 men, about 10 hours, \ an oz. Wednesday, November 3. — Ring's party, 7 men, 4 hours, \ of an oz. Coolahan's party, 4 men, about 10 hours, § of an oz. Thursday, November 4. — Ring's party, 3 men, 7 hours, l-6th of an oz. Coolahan's party, 4 men, 10 hours, \ an oz. Friday, November 5. — Leary's party, 3 men, 3 hours, l-6th of an oz. Vaile's party, 2 men, 3 hours, 1 -6th of an oz.